Southern California -- this just in

Teacher's aide charged with leaving her naked daughter in car

A teacher's aide in Riverside County was charged with leaving her 12-year-old daughter naked in a car, authorities said Thursday.

Tracy Lynn Betts, 41, is accused of parking her car near the Temecula school where she worked and leaving the girl inside, according to the Riverside County district attorney's office.

Betts walked to work after allegedly abandoning the girl, according to the district attorney's office.

Residents later called police to report that a naked girl was foraging for food in garbage cans, prosecutors said.

"Officers found the girl hiding in a car belonging to Betts," the district attorney's office said in a statement. "The passenger-side window was cracked about an inch and there was no food, water or clothing found in the car."

Betts is charged with one misdemeanor count of child endangerment. If convicted, she could serve up to one year in jail.